MONTGOMERY, Ala. –The Auburn Montgomery women's basketball team held #8 ranked Union University to a season-low 43 points, and a season-worst 26 percent on field goals, but it was not enough as the Warhawks dropped a hard-fought 43-40 home Gulf-South-Conference contest to the Lady Bulldogs on Thurday, Jan. 10.
 
Notes
- With the loss, AUM's record drops to 0-14 on the season, and 0-7 in GSC play.
- AUM's all-time series record with Union falls to 3-12.
- The Warhawks pulled down a season-high 51 rebounds, including 13 from Victoria Morales and 11 from Evelina Avleeva. 
- Thursday's setback marks for the third-straight contest in which the Warhawks had a last-second opportunity to tie the game, but could not convert. 
 
Standout Performers
- Morales added seven points to go with her career-high 13 boards on the evening. The Junior forward also swatted two blocks.
- Jordan Brewster tallied a game-high 13 points, while also grabbing four rebounds.
- Avleeva also scored eight points, to go along along with her double-digit rebounds. 
- Makaylla Bullard added seven points and a team-high three assists, while Aaliyah Milord recorded nine rebounds.
 
How it Happened
- The Warhawks and Bulldogs played a back-and-forth first quarter that saw AUM tally the game's first bucket on a layup by Bullard at the 9:22 mark. 
- A three-point play by Alex Brown put AUM on top 7-5 at the 5:13 mark in the period, but the Bulldogs would rally to take a 12-11 lead over the Warhawks at period's end.
- The Warhawks were once again able to take the lead in the second period, courtesy of a successful layup by Avleeva at the 6:21 mark to put AUM on top 16-14. Union, however, would end the period on an 8-0 run to lead 22-16 at the break. 
- Quarter number three marked for the first of two consecutive periods in which AUM would outscore Union. The Warhawks cut their deficit to just four on two separate occasions, including a pair of free throws by Brown to make the score 29-25 in Union's favor at the end of the third.
- The Warhawks battled their hardest in the fourth, with a game-high 15 points over the ten-minute span.
- Trailing by eight with 3:13 to go, AUM orchestrated a quick 5-0 run over the next minute of play to get to within three points at 41-38. 
- After both teams traded successful layups over back-to-back possessions, the Warhawks would get the final look of the game, a three-ball by Bullard at the buzzer, that would come up short and give way to the 43-40 final.
 
Quoting the Coach 
"It's another disappointing loss for sure, but I'm proud of the team and our full 40-minute effort," Head Coach Sean Page. "We gave the number-eight-ranked team all they could handle, and had the last shot of the game to take it to overtime. We're not where we want to be, but we are definitely getting better." 
 
Inside the Boxscore
-AUM provided the more efficient offense on the evening, shooting 27.8 percent (15-54) from the field compared to a 26.6 (17-64) field-goal percentage from the Lady Bulldogs.
- AUM held Union in check from beyond-the-arc all game, holding the Bulldogs to a 26 percent (5-19) shooting night from the three-point line.
- The Warhawks accounted for 14 points in the paint, 10 points off of Union miscues and 11 second-chance points. 
- Thursday's game featured four lead changes and one tied score.
 
Up Next
- The Warhawks face a quick turn around, as will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 12 in Rome, Ga. against Shorter University in GSC action. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. (CST). 

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